Page Contents: DSHR News | DSHR In General | Expectations | Joining DSHR | Deployment | DSHR Self-Serve | Other DSHR Categories (DOVES and Reserves) | International Responders

DSHR News

You can find current DSHR news on CrossNet, but we will also try to keep you up-to-date on the DSHR News and Updates page. Check there for new procedures, changes in training requirements, and other info.

DSHR In General

Larger disasters that exceed the resources of the local chapter are managed by the American Red Cross. Potential responders are tracked through the Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) system. All chapter affiliated disaster responders are required to join the national DSHR system even if their activity is confined to local response. This system provides the chapters and national with a way to track available volunteers and to manage consistent training and experience requirements .

The Chapter uses the same DSHR Group and Activity designations for local and national response.

Each activity has specific training requirements as detailed in the most recent Activity Requirements & Resources document.

Expectations of DSHR Members

American Red Cross expects that members submitting themselves for national deployment are available for a three week period (plus travel time.) Nurses serving in Health Services or Staff Health, and Mental Health Professionals serving in Disaster Mental Health are expected to serve two weeks. Additional expectations are detailed in the national Expectations for DSHR Members document.

Joining DSHR

Application. At the Local Operations interview, all new Emergency Services Disaster Responders receive, and must complete and return, a DSHR application packet. There are several documents that must be filled out as a part of the DSHR application packet. Most of these forms are required by National and must be a part of the member’s file. The application packet includes:

• DSHR application: all information must be completed, including social security number, driver's license information for national responders, and professional license information for health and mental health professionals
• Health Status Record: Required annually. Include all requested information to allow the Staff Health nurse to evaluate the record for possible limitiations on deployment. See Restrictions for information on physical requirements for DSHR Activities, and the definitions of DR restrictions.
• Personal Statement of Understanding: signature required
• Code of Conduct: signature required
• DSHR Availability Form: used to designate availability for Local, Statewide, or National operations
• DSHR Applicant Record: demographic/vetran status information
• CrossNet Application: application for user id and password for access to Crossnet.

Specialized Forms:

• Annual Statement of Intent for Non-Exempt Employees: Required annually for non-exempt chapter and national employees
• DOVE Annual Statement of Understanding: Required annually for Disaster Operations Volunteer Escapees (DOVEs) (more info below)

Deployment (updated 8/7/08)

DSHR members are deployed, when needed, by National through their DSHR Territory, with the details of deployment handled by the local Chapter. Here is a typical chain of events:

1. Availability. Recruitment for a national or regional disaster starts with a review of available DSHR members by their DSHR Territory staff (OTC is in DSHR Territory #2). Availability is listed in the member's DSHR record, and is either maintained by the member through DSHR Self-Serve or is entered by the Chapter as directed by the member. In either event, only those members listed as "Available" in the DSHR record are recruited for the operation.
2. Confirmation Request. The DSHR Recruiters send an email to the Chapter requesting availability confirmation for those members listed as available who list an activity and position that is being recruited for the current operation.
3. Chapter Review. The Chapter staffing office reviews the members' records to confirm that the DSHR records are up-to-date. Required forms, training, and licenses must be current. The Chapter also confirms that there are no hardship restrictions in the member's record that match the Hardship Codes associated with the current disaster.
4. Member Confirmation. Then the staffing office will call the member to confirm availability and if so, will ask the questions listed on the Pre-Assignment Health Questionnaire to determine that the member is in good health and, if deployed, will not put himself/herself or others at risk on the operation.
5. Availability Confirmed. If all requirements are satisfied, the member's name is submitted to the Territory Recruitment officer for consideration.
6. Assignment. If the available member is matched with an open position, the Chapter is notified and requested to Assign the member to the operation.
7. Travel arrangements. Once the member is assigned, things can move pretty quickly, with the member usually expected to travel within 12 to 24 hours of assignment, depending on the operation. The member is given instructions for making flight arrangements and an appointment is made for a deployment orientation at the chapter. At this orientation the member is issued a Disaster Staff Card (debit card) and is given detailed instructions about travel and arrival on the operation.

Notice that the initial determination about the member's availability and qualification is made by consulting the DSHR record. For member's interested in national deployment, if is very important to assure that your record is up-to-date, that you have all the necessary training, and that your availability dates are listed.

Member's whose records do not include current availability dates may also be recruited, but this would occur in the second stage of recruitment when all currently available members have been contacted and Open Requests remain to be filled. At that point, all current members who qualify in the requested activities are called, as time permits, to determine their availabiity.

Deployment Related documents and links:

• Expectations of DSHR Members
• Disaster Staff Card Brochure
• Fundamental Principles
• ID/Attire requirements (from nat'l. not completely up-to-date)
• ARC Deployment Orientation
• ARC Zero Tolerance Policy

DSHR Self-Serve

Records on National (DSHR) volunteers are maintained on the DSHR database. Volunteers have access to change limited fields in their own records, including specifying availabiltiy dates. This is referred to as DSHR Self-Serve. Each member has a user ID and password that provides access to the member's record. Members are expected to keep their availability up-to-date using this system. Please note: you must use Internet Explorer to access the DSHR system. Firefox, Opera, etc, do not work.

1. Go to the DSHR database at https://dshr.redcross.org (make sure to turn off all pop-up blockers)
2. Enter your user id and password (provided by your chapter)
3. Your record appears on the screen (eventually). Click on the Availability Information area
4. When the DSHR Update Status Information screen appears, click on the Edit Record button
5. Fill in both the Available Begin Date and Available End Date fields using the date format indicated
6. Click the Submit button
7. Log Off
8. If you are unable to navigate the system, please email your availability to the staffing office.

When a national recruitment occurs the first call goes to those members who have indicated their availability in their DSHR record as detailed above.

Additional information and instructions can be found in the DSHR Self Service document provided by National ARC.

Other DSHR Categories

Most DSHR responders are volunteers or Red Cross Employees to whom the general DSHR procedures apply. However, there are some members who fit a special category, either as volunteers or as DSHR employees. Information about two of those categories, DOVEs and Reserves is included below.

Doves

The Disaster Operations Volunteer Escapees (DOVE) is a special interest group, known as a certified Birds Of A Feather (BOF) group, of the national Escapees RV (Recreational Vehicle) Club, founded in 1978 and incorporated in 1985 as a Texas corporation, headquartered at 100 Rainbow Drive, Livingston, TX 77351.

The DOVE was formed by Escapees RV Club members previously involved with Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Escapees RV Club members offer a group of responsible adults with specific unique advantages for disaster relief efforts.

You can find more information about the DOVE program on their website.

Disaster Reserves

Experienced disaster responders can apply for DSHR Reserve status. Additional information about Reserves is located on CrossNet (user ID and password required), the national resource for American Red Cross employees and volunteers.

International Responders

Our responders sometimes ask how to get on the list for International response. The application for international response is managed by the national agency, in our case, the American Red Cross. Additional information can be found on the American Red Cross web site: International FAQs